GIANT-MAGNETORESISTANCE CALCULATION FOR (111) CO CU/CO SPIN VALVES/

We calculate the canting-angle and thickness dependence of the current -in-plane giant magnetoresistance (CMR) of a system. consisting of a c opper slab between two cobalt slabs, where the canting angle is the an gle between the magnetization vectors of the two cobalt slabs. We util ize the layer-Kohn-Korringa-Rostoker method to self-consistently calcu late the electronic structure. Electron scattering by impurities, phon ons, magnons, etc., is modeled with a layer- and spin-dependent comple x self-energy. Scattering rates are chosen to match Cu and Co resistiv ities. The scattering rate for minority Co is assumed to be seven time s larger than for majority Co, the same ratio as for the Fermi energy density of states in the two channels. The nonlocal layer-dependent co nductivity is calculated using the Kubo-Greenwood formula. We find tha t the CMR decreases with copper thickness in a nonuniform manner due t o changes in the behavior of waveguidelike modes in the copper slab. F or fixed copper thickness the GMR dependence on cos theta, where theta is the relative angle between the cobalt slabs magnetization direct-i ons, deviates from a linear dependence on cos theta. [S0163-1829(98)01 138-2].